//------------------------------// // 19. Awkward Moments and a Decision // Story: The Halfling // by Scarheart //------------------------------// Reign Cloud studied the strange pony/zebra hybrid, thinking there was something off about the colt. Oh, he was nice and very polite, but something was niggling him. Maybe Enigma was too polite and too nice. Maggie seemed to like him, though. Reign could not exactly explain it, but he did know he did not like that. Not one bit. His mother even liked Enigma, but then again, she liked everypony.         The play had ended and Wilda had called her family towards the picnic area for lunch. A throng of hatchlings and nymphs chirped and laughed. The chatting was generally happy, with a lot of questions thrown at Enigma. His own mother had joined him: a very mysterious looking zebra mare who introduced herself in a lilting, heavily accented voice. Enya had mysterious blue eyes. Reign had read somewhere blue was exclusive to zebra shamans as they were typically dark. Colt and mother both carried themselves easily, seemingly comfortable being surrounded by predators.         Reign Cloud narrowed his eyes at the pair. Too comfortable.         Every now and then, the prince would cast his eyes towards the edge of the park, seeking out the inconspicuous guards. He knew they were there. Cadence always had her guards nearby. She might have not been a fan of having them around, but she understood the necessity of having them and clearly was not stupid. Alicorns were inviting targets, even if they were rumored to be nigh invulnerable and oozing with power.         Cadence was neither and her magic was love. Reign knew she could take care of herself, having dedicated her daily exercise routine to include honest to goodness military training. That being said, the Halfling had a hard time picturing his mother wielding a massive sword and taking all comers. Reign had seen her practice with his father, as well as some of the weapons masters, and thought she was good, but still nowhere near good enough. It was one of the few times she ever had a serious expression on her face and the only time she would break out into a sweat.         Well, there was that one time, in the middle of the night years ago when some noise woke Reign up. He had slipped out of his bed and followed his ears. His journey had taken him to the door leading into his parent’s bedroom and there were some very strange noises coming from inside. Back then, a certain six-year-old colt had a limited grasp of certain things and various noises had different meanings to him.         “Mommy?” he had asked, pushing open the door with his snout. “Mommy?” he repeated, seeking her out as the light of the hall streamed in, lighting up a bed with Cadence facing him, a look of shock and embarrassment worn like a clown mask. What was that smell? His mother was drenched in sweat and Daddy was behind her, peeking over his shoulder, his eyes closed and wearing the most comical expression.         Well, Reign’s reflection of the memory at the time was something sinister. Daddy was doing something to Mommy that just didn’t look right. “You’re hurting Mommy!” the little colt cried, tears suddenly welling up as he sprang to Cadence’s defense.         Shining had finally noticed his son. “Crud!” Recoiling away, he was madly gathering the bedsheets in front of him and pressing them to his lower belly.         Right about that time the guards, having heard the commotion, burst into the room. They saw a bawling colt being consoled by his sweaty mother while a very sheepish and embarrassed Shining Armor told them quite bluntly there was nothing wrong and there was a complete misunderstanding.         And that’s how Reign Cloud learned about the birds and the bees.         The young prince shuddered at the memory. How it had popped up unwanted in his head baffled him. Why now, of all times? It was a horrible memory that brought strange tingling sensations up within him any time he looked at Maggie. Or any other mares that struck his interest, for that matter.         “Oooh, you’re thinking of things!” Maggie whispered in his ear with a giggle. “I can feel it! We can all feel it!”         Her words broke him from his mulling. Reign looked up and around, finding a dozen eyes or more boring into him intently. A few blinked in confusion, a recognizable confusion.         Cadence sighed. “Center yourself, Reign. Remember? Just as I taught you.” She was fighting very hard to hide her giggles.         Wilda arched a brow and without pause from setting out lunch said, “I suppose he is getting of that age. A bit early, but it had to start sometime. Children! Stop staring at him! One day you will all have your brains turn to mush from such thoughts. It’s only natural.”         Enya wore a knowing smile and Enigma was confused. “Why are the ponies and changelings of this place so strange, Mother?” he asked her.         She looked at him pointedly. “Remember that little filly back home before we left?” Enya asked with a twinkle in her eye.         “Oh,” he replied with a shrug. “That.” Enigma could not hide his flush.         “My little colt is growing up,” cooed Cadence with a happy sigh. “Pretty soon he’ll have all the fillies throwing themselves at him and I’ll have to make wedding plans.”         “Momma!” protested Reign with a squeak.         “I like weddings,” commented Maggie breathlessly into his ear.         “Weddings are wondrous occasions,” added Enya with a sage nod. The shaman was already becoming a part of the never ending herd of matronly mothers lording their hopes and dreams of grandchildren, so they might spoil them and take universal revenge upon their own offspring. The fact she was like minded with Cadence and Wilda when it came to colts, fillies, nymphs, and the future following them spoke volumes.         Reign was not a stupid colt. Reign was suddenly terrified.         Maggie was snuggling against his side, her larger frame eventually glomping him. The colt cried out as laughter exploded from the mares.         “So,” Cadence said as she gently parted the two before Reign had an aneurysm, “Blueblood. Will he be joining us? I’m surprised he is not here yet.” She regarded Enya with the smile of a mare who had hopes of reformation for her twit of a cousin.         “He had to pen a few letters for business purposes as he has not been up to date of his holdings while abroad. Communications were muddled when the griffons went silent for a decade.” The zebra offered to help Wilda set out the plates. The broodmother smiled and let her help. “He’ll be by shortly. I think you will like the changes he has done to himself. I’m well aware of how he once was. An insufferable buffoon when I first met him.”         Reign was suddenly aware of Enigma helping him to his hooves. The colt was larger than him. Then again, almost all colts and fillies were larger than him. Even the smaller changelings his age usually had a size advantage. “I do not envy you,” he muttered with a grin.         The colt decided Enigma was all right as he could faintly feel the sympathy coming from him. He was a kind sort. Zebras were renowned for their kindness as well as their savagery. It was an odd combination.         A pegasus guard landed some distance from the picnic, but did not approach. “Message from the Consort for Her Highness!” she announced.         Cadence smiled and beckoned to the mare. “I eagerly await what my husband has to say!” she said with mock authority. She was truly loved by her guards, as indicated by the unprofessional smile the pegasus wore.         “The meeting with the queen’s emissary has concluded. The consort advised me to present to you the terms offered at the meeting and requests your presence at your convenience.” A scroll appeared from a deep pocket on her barding and was hoofed over. Enya rose to her hooves and beckoned her son over. "I have kept you from your afternoon long enough. It was a pleasure meeting you, Your Highness. I do hope to meet you again and soon. For now, I and my son must find my husband." Cadence nodded, rising to her own hooves. Stepping towards the zebra mare, she hugged her. "Welcome to the family," she said. "Belatedly, but there you have it!" Both mares laughed. "I would love nothing more than to sit down with you and Bluey and catch up on the years. Tomorrow? Would that be fine? Lunch?" "I accept your invitation!" replied the shaman with a chuckle. To the changeling family, she cast a happy smile, "It was truly a pleasure to meet a family of changelings as wonderful as all of you! I wish you all a blessed day and a bright future! Come, Enigma. Let us not keep your father waiting!" "Yes, Mother," he said. "Goodbye, Reign. It was nice to meet you. I hope we are friends." Reign nodded and grinned back. "Yeah. I'd like to be your friend!" A final round of farewells saw the zebra and her colt trotting off with smiles on their faces.         “Oh!” Cadence looked at the scroll. She had nearly forgotten. Wonderful distractions often did give way to business. It was a pity. “My apologies. I must read this,” she said to those assembled for the outing. Wilda waved her off with an understanding smile.         She did just that, her face becoming an unreadable mask as her eyes drank up the words quickly. There was a pause, a squint or two at the letter. A derisive snort followed as the mask fell away to incredulity. “That much?” she muttered. “And she thinks she can just waltz into my city under the assumption I will allow it?”         Cadence was angry....and afraid. Reign found himself bumping his shoulder into her leg. He was a momma’s colt when Shining wasn’t around. “Momma?” He prodded her with a hoof.         “It’s nothing for you to worry about,” she said all too quickly, flashing him a warm smile.         “Momma?” he blinked at her, clearly not believing the tone in her voice.         She sighed. “Your birth mother is coming for a visit.”         It took a moment for the words to register. “What?” he demanded. His temper was flaring. “Why?” Reign’s voice was flat and unfriendly. “She didn’t want me. Why would she come now?”         “Reign,” she admonished him gently.         “She didn’t want me. Why didn’t she want me?” he went on. Tears were forming.         “Honey, we discussed this,” she said gently. A wing draped down and over him while she gave a reassuring nuzzle. “No tears. You are my son. You are my joy.”         “She’ll want to take me away from you!” he cried. “I don’t want to go!”         “You are not going anywhere,” Cadence assured him. “Your home is here. Your friends are here. Your father is here.”         “I don’t want to see her!”         I thought you did. Cadence thought patiently. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Now, don’t spoil the picnic. Everything smells so wonderful! Guard?” The princess looked up. “Will you please send a message to my husband. Tell him I have received his message and will discuss it with him soon.”         “Yes, ma’am!” The pegasus saluted, cast a quick sympathetic smile at Reign, and took off with smooth, powerful strokes of her wings.         Wilda pursed her lips, licking a fang once before saying, “The bond between you two is remarkably changeling in nature,” she said with a warm smile. A glance at the departing pegasus was fleeting before settling down to exchanging between mother and son. “I find it wonderful. However,” she noted, frowning slightly, “there could be a problem if my former queen decides she wants to take issue with the relationship.”         “You don’t say?” queried Cadence as she flicked an ear. “I’d like to see her try and take Reign from me!” The steel in her voice made Wilda smile. “Reign is my son. She gave him over to me. She could have gone elsewhere, but she chose me and I am not and have never been sorry for it. Reign Cloud is my son.! I won’t let anything take him from me.”         Wilda sighed. “I see there was something about changeling culture I neglected to tell you.” She set down a covered plastic tray of deviled eggs she had fished from the picnic basket. “A changeling queen’s heir is the center of that queen’s universe. Their connection to their children is unbreakable. More so than any bond I might have with my children, even as I love them all with everything I have. Reign might not be able to sense her, but only because he has never had a chance to develope his bond with her. She, on the other hand, would know exactly where he is from half a world a way. A queen must know where her child is. She gave up a kingdom for him. She gave up her crown for him. She became outcast in the eyes of two castes because of him. Oh, I assure you, Princess Cadence. The one you know as Chrysalis will come for Reign and is coming for Reign. I should imagine she has already delivered terms. Remarkable she would resort to peaceful means, given her nature.” She finished mostly to herself, as if musing aloud and her audience just happened to be hearing her words.         “I don’t wanna go,” sniffled Reign miserably.         “You’re not going anywhere, sweetie,” Cadence assured him with a nuzzle. She gave a perplexed and miffed glare at Wilda. “You shouldn’t be scaring him like that, Wilda.”         The big broodmare sighed. “I’m sorry, Cadence. But everything seems to be coming to a head. You must know this about the mind of Chrysalis by now.” She spat the name forcibly, as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. “I still think the name you ponies gave her is a bit insulting. Speciest, really.”         “Well, considering you haven’t given us the name of your former queen, can you blame us?”         Little Zinnia, during this time, had emerged from her mother’s pouch largely unnoticed. Her siblings Veronica, Shasta, and Pansy stared from the pouch, their heads all poking out from the bulge of the broodmother’s pouch. Wilda did take note, being her mother and all, but did nothing. The little hatchling crawled about on unsteady legs, her eyes round and filled with wonder as she explored her world. Her ears flopped this way and that and she sniffed the air constantly. A chirp came from her. It was a tiny sound, really, and an adorable one. Slowly she made her way through the food set on the blanket, sniffing this and that, not sure what to make of the smells. Watchful eyes ensured she did not help herself to the food, as she was a noted messy eater. Her journey ended at the hooves of Cadence and Reign, where she sat on her haunches and looked up at the pink pony who smiled warmly down at her.         “Well hello there!” Cadence bent down and let the little one sniff at her. She enjoyed holding little adorable things. Zinnia was one of those little adorable things. ‘And so the picnic was saved by a hatchling!’ she thought with a chuckle.         “I should like to continue that discussion later,” she offered to her big friend. Certainly, there were some subjects both mares were uncomfortable talking about, but Cadence believed their friendship was strong enough to muddle through the inevitable and still be close.         Yamir, who had been silent as the two ladies spoke, was uneasy. He had never heard his wife speak of her former life all that often. What she had spoke of just now was quite obvious: her former queen was not one to be trifled with. She was dangerous. Apparently she had just recently defeated a gaggle of changeling queens. Though he personally doubted any queen had that much skill and acumen, there had to have been trickery and deception in that final battle. Very few details were available, but more would surely come. The truth would be known. No matter how he tried to examine it, this queen...this mother of Her Majesty’s adopted son and heir to the Crystal Empire would no doubt come to claim her son.         “Is she like Sombra?” he asked his wife. “Your queen. Is she like...him? The way he was with us, his ponies, this kingdom?”         Wilda gave her husband a speculative look as she adjusted herself where she lay. “In some ways, yes. She is ruthless. She grinds her enemies to dust. She does not forget. She does not forgive. However,” she noted, seeing the distress growing on her husband, “she has always believed family is important. The young must be protected at all costs. She is cruel, but she is also honorable, in her own way. She does not seek friends, but she will seek out compromise if she can get an advantage for herself. Collateral damage is unacceptable in her eyes. Cadence, how many civilians were harmed in her attack those years ago?”         “None died, if that’s what you’re asking,” supplied the princess uneasily.         “Sombra did not care for the well being of his slaves. If you were weak, you were dead. With my former queen, the weak were placed in the center, with the strong facing the danger. Yes, she is cruel. She is ruthless. But she loves her people. It is because of that love she has for her people she is ruthless and cruel, but only to those she considers her enemies. She is also selfish. That selfishness is what ultimately cost her her kingdom. That selfishness gave way to an act of mercy even I thought was beyond her; she saved her son by giving him up.” Wilda had slowly turned her attention to Reign as she spoke, her eyes falling over her children who listened intently. Beyond the song of a bird in the tree above, only her voice could be heard.         “She gave up everything for you, my prince. Never forget that.” To Cadence she said, “If you want my advice, and I give it openly and with no reservations, do not hide him from her. Let them meet. Let them get to know each other, if just a little. I can assure you, her heart aches at not having her son at her side. It is torture for her to be away from her little one. A mare’s first born is the one she forms the strongest bond with, as it is natural.”         Cadence hummed thoughtfully. “A chance at peace.”         Reign suddenly felt bad. “It’s one of those political things, isn’t it?” he observed with a sigh.         “Politics are stupid,” Maggie groused. She again snatched Reign into a possessive hug, getting a smattering of giggles from her sisters. Rose gave her a jealous glare. “That meanie queenie is gonna hafta get past me to get to my Reigny! He’s mine! Mine!”         Reign found her antics ridiculous and about on par. Maggie had always been like this. He found he minded it less and less. How odd!         “Yes. Unfortunately, this will become a political issue.” Cadence sighed and rubbed her temple with a hoof. “It’s going to be a headache. We can discuss it with your father this evening at dinner. Wilda, I’m afraid I’m going to have to accost my son this evening. I’ll have him brought back to you in the morning, if that’s all right.”         “Oh, I don’t mind. The store windows will still be there in need of a colt to wash them.” Wilda was smiling. “Well, then. I’d say everything is set. Children! Lunch is served!”         The eldest nymphs immediately set about making plates for their younger brothers and sisters. Rose took charge like a little queen and Maggie broke her hug with Reign (who rediscovered the wonderful world of breathing again) to help. Petunia shouldered Rose, not wanting to be considered beneath her sister. Both jostled each other with their bodies until the larger changeling won out. The little display of dominance ended as quickly as it had started and normalcy reigned. The changeling family had already been lined up around the edges of the blanket, patiently waiting and listening to Cadence and Wilda. Politics were boring, of course, but the talk of this mysterious queen Mother never spoke of was interesting. A few questions were lobbed at Wilda as she watched over her nymphs, all of them about Queen Chrysalis.         “Is she pretty?” asked Iris. She had only recently started forming coherent sentences.         “She is very pretty,” conceded Wilda. She had never met her former queen personally, but the Black Queen had always been considered to be devastatingly gorgeous, as a magazine had once proclaimed. Unfortunately, there were no photographs Wilda knew of. She was aware there was a history of truly ugly queens, but this one was by far the most beautiful in recent memory. Even her enemies admitted she was a knockout.         Iris seemed happy with the answer and settled down to eat.         Moonbloom, one of the middle children of Wilda’s brood then asked, “Why would she take Reign from Princess Cadence? That’s not nice. Not nice at all!” Bits of food sprayed from her mouth.         “Don’t speak with your mouth full, dear,” Wilda chided her sternly. “You were raised to be civilized, not some mindless animal.”         The little changeling filly looked abashed. She finished chewing, swallowed, then repeated her question.         “No, it’s not a nice thing to do. It’s hopefully not going to happen.”         “Promise?”         “I can’t promise that, no.” Wilda had always tried to be honest with her brood. It sometimes made her feel bad about the looks she received in return for some of her answers, but she tried very hard to not be too blunt about it.         “Oh.”         “Momma?” asked Sunflower. She had a touch of gold in her dark mane. She was long-legged and willowy and would most likely be a very skinny adult changeling when she matured.         “Yes dear?”         “Would you fight for Cadence or would you fight for that queen?”         “Why would I fight?” she asked, taken aback by the question. “Do respect any changeling queens. I don’t think I like that tone.”         “Sorry Momma. But which one would you fight for?”         “Princess Cadence, of course. And mind your manners when speaking her name in front of her!” Wilda smirked as a glance at the pink princess revealed a familiar roll of the eyes. Cadence preferred being informal around foals and nymphs. She was a very down to earth lady, something Wilda appreciated greatly.         There were other questions as lunch progressed, but everything had settled down once the eating began in earnest. Yamir slid next to his wife and leaned against her. She in turn leaned into him and the pair simply enjoyed being together while they watched their family devour their plates like a pack of starved wolves. If not for the presence of royalty, they might have started giving each other little affectionate kisses.         Reign Cloud had manage to eat a little bit, though his heart wasn’t into his meal. The more he thought about what had been exchanged between his mother and Wilda, the more he felt as though the decision would ultimately be his. The fate of the Crystal Empire, it seemed, rested on his frail shoulders.         What would Aunt Celestia do? What would Aunt Luna think? How would Aunt Twilight approach this? He wondered as he picked at his plate. Cadence was having an animated conversation with Cherry Blossom, telling one of her stories. It was loud enough for all to hear and made for good conversation over food. What would she do?         As a prince, Reign felt he had a duty to uphold. For the sake of peace. For the sake of the ponies his mother had always told him were his responsibility. For the changelings who had come to live under the rule of the most loving of all the Equestrian princesses, Reign also felt a strong responsibility for. They loved him. Reign had to admit he loved them back. As a community, they kept out those who would do him harm. He knew beyond the borders of his home, changelings would regard him as a freak. He knew this, but had never experienced such a thing upon himself.         Here, he was loved.         His birth mother had known exactly where to put him.         He understood this.         And he thought deeply about it.         Ultimately, he came to a decision as to how he should approach this.